Expressions and Emotions
by RosesAndFaeriesAesthetic
Summary: On Mt. Silver, Red had finally met his match in a stubborn, sweet and expressive boy named Ethan. Slowly enough, the boy opens up emotions that had been trapped before. -heartgoldshipping, drabble-ish
1. Emotions: Apathy

When the boy first appeared, he didn't care much about him.

The young boy with the golden eyes and raven hair had asked for a battle, and who was he to deny him? He had had a couple other challengers before, but none of them had given them the thrill he had longed for, since becoming the best. Admittedly, hiking up a mountain like Mt. Silver was no simple task, but when you have spent your many years of your life on the very mountain, climbing up and down it is simply a chore. It wasn't as hard as many others had proclaimed it to be, but he supposed that if that many people had talked and feared trekking up the mountain, it must be a challenge.

But then again, not many people were as tough as him.

"My name's Ethan, but a lot of people call me Gold. You can use either," The raven, Ethan, introduced, as per the routine before battle. He had stuck out his hand, and the other stared at it for a few seconds before clasping it and giving it a firm shake. The warmth that radiated from the single touch felt strange and foreign to the Champion, but the feelings faded as soon as the hand left his. He had said nothing, though, preferring to get straight to the battle, instead of drawing it out with formalities. Ethan's hand crept towards the pokeballs attached to his waist, throwing it at the ground the same time the other did.

The battle started.

The Champion stayed silent throughout the entire battle, his pokemon knowing exactly what to do without the commands from their trainer. Thus was the bond between trainer and his pokemon. The other, however, yelled commands throughout the entire battle. Their battle had raged throughout the entire afternoon, and it was well into night before a victor was declared. One pokemon fell, and the other remained standing, with plenty of other comrades still up for a fight. The other dipped his head low, the outcome of the battle was obvious enough from the very beginning.

Red had won.

At the time, Red had thought it was obvious who would have won and lost, but the other still bowed his head in defeat. When the head was lifted up, the recognition of the defeat was etched onto his face, partnered with a breathy grin and a rush of exhilaration. Waving good-bye, he had left Red back to his thoughts, and started tending to his hurt pokemon. It was the first time he had experienced a rush of challenge in a while, along with the bone-crushing weight of defeat, but he managed to brush it off. "Were going to stay on this mountain and train!" Ethan exclaimed, a bright smile on his face. His pokemon roared enthusiastically, and the boy quickly set up his tent and sleeping bag. Soon enough, he fell into the clutches of his dreams.

A while away, Red, too, was tending his pokemon. Not many were hurt, but the challenger had managed to faint his Venasaur and scratched his Espeon up pretty badly. 'Not bad,' he mused, patching up a couple bruises here and there. It was late enough, so the Champion headed back into the cave where he dwelled, curling up in a battering sleeping bag, with his full pokemon team surrounding him and comforting him with their warmth. The fire flickered, and with not fuel to burn, flickered out, plunging Red into the faint darkness of sleep.


	2. Emotions: Contentment

He remembers the second time the golden-eyed boy visited. Ethan _,_ he has to remind himself. _His name is Ethan._ After the boy leaves (losing, obviously), sometimes he contemplates why he remembers his name the best out of all of them. Contemplates that if _he_ is Gold, who is the Silver to his Gold? Why does he think so hard of the boy anyway? He doesn't know, but he can't seem to tear his thoughts away from the raven. Perhaps it was because he was finally against a worthy opponent? He believes he remembers reading and article of a boy named Ethan becoming the new champion (he's made friends with a couple wild pokemon, they bring newspapers and articles so he can still stay in tune with the outside world). _A champion, huh? This is the first time I've faced off against someone with that title up here. Interesting._

The second time Red and Ethan had battled, Ethan had improved quite a bit. This time, he got two pokemon down and injuring three others. While it may have seemed like nothing (a loss was still a loss, and in a world where the ends do justify the means, losing is still a loss, no matter how well you lose), Red was impressed. It was the first time someone had gotten this strong on their second try. While he still has yet to understand why he keeps persisting (nobody knows who he is, just vague tales about a champion clad in red), he doesn't seem to care too much. The thrill of a good battle was enough for him. As long as the boy keeps fighting hard, giving everything he has, Red is content.

Ethan spends all of his time training. There was no time to falter, but when he does, he blames it on the crimson-eyed boy, standing calmly in the cold weather (in a t-shirt, no less!) on the top of the mountain. Sometimes he wonders if the guy ever leaves the mountain to get food. He was skinny, but not malnourished. Maybe that was why he decided to battle the guy again. To test how his skills improved, of course, but maybe it was for a different reason and he just convinced himself it was to test how his skills matched up to the mysterious mountain dweller's. He can't seem to think straight when he stops training, so on the worst days, he takes the excuse of being low on supplies to travel down the mountain, where he can think in peace (not counting all the powerful pokemon and slippery steps he has to stumble over).

When he reaches New Bark Town to report to his mother that her son is safe (he does this every month, usually over PokeGear, but he can't seem to get a signal on the mountain), he starts to wonder if the crimson-eyed boy talks to his mother a lot. Probably not. He just can't see the boy leaving the mountain for anything _but_ food or supplies. Actually, scratch that, he can't see the boy leaving the mountain _at all._ How the guy survives up there is beyond him.

After the quick rest at his home, he travels to the Indigo Plateau to make sure everything was running smoothly. Luckily enough for him, it was an off season for the Elite 4 and Champion, as most people would be challenging gyms. The few people that got to the League this early was easily swept aside by either Will, Koga, Bruno or Karen. Both Johto and Kanto were running smoothly as well, and the economy overall was doing great. After a quick check-in, he would leave on his Togekiss towards Mt. Silver, where he would continue training right where he left off, content with the routine he has so far.


	3. Expressions: Smile

Red can't seem to remember when he stopped smiling.

In a rare moment of peacefulness, his mind wanted to use this time to reflect onto the past. The past, he decides, is like a pain you can never shake off. Forgiving was okay, but forgetting was impossible. Diving into the past is like scratching at old scars. Reliving the past is to allow the wounds to fester and get infected. Even if his companions may not have enjoyed it, Red had left his past behind. After all, to him, the past was an old wound. Better to heal it and try to stop thinking about it, even if you cannot forget it.

However, peace was rare, but more common when he was younger. That was what pulled him into the past in the first place. Living with his mother was calming and peaceful. Pallet Town was especially abundant in its soothing atmosphere. He smiled plenty in his younger days. What had changed? He used to be young and innocent, so what changed during his journey? Red knew the answer already, but didn't want to admit it, delving back into the past in hopes to refute his belief.

Something had changed.

Maybe Giovanni had done something. He and Red weren't that different, after all. They did anything they could to reach a goal, even if that meant trampling others in their path. What had he done to Green again? That's _right._ He was Champion (the title was practically poison on his lips now) for only ten minutes. A laughingstock. Yet he couldn't help it, he wanted to become Champion so badly, he immediately threw away any type of compassion for Green. He hoped that Green was happy. Surely seeing his face on TV everywhere had been painful for him, right? So Red ran away, to Mt. Silver.

No, it started before that.

Perhaps it was Green himself. The lack of affection that he gave while they were childhood friends suddenly disappearing, replaced with spite and hate. Those taunts son grew old but something resonated with them. Turning a cold shoulder wasn't enough. Every taunt, every word was filled with genuine detest, as if he was his worst enemy. Did he do something wrong? Was Green just hiding it? Did Green really hate him? With those questions swirling around his head, there was no reason he wouldn't stop smiling. Knowing your best friend _hated_ you was worse than being burned at the stake.

Red shook his head. He should stop lying.

It was _his_ fault for not smiling. As things turned into routine, he just stopped. One day, he didn't smile. And that turned into weeks, and that turned into months and those months turned into _years_ and suddenly, he forgot _how._ As the novelty of earning gym badges, catching new pokemon, and traveling to new places wore off, he found no reason to smile. In fact, did he even know _how_ to smile?

At first, it was difficult. His face muscles moved, although unwillingly. However, as he did it over and over again, it felt easier. Even if it looked horribly fake, well, it was a start, right?


End file.
